Goodbye Civic Type R

The Civic Type R is soon to die, driven to an early grave by Euro V emission regs. Time for a protest...

While the NSX-R represents the distilled,
refined essence of Type-R'ness, the four other cars we have here - with not a
turbo between them - all share its DNA. Yes, they've been driven hard, ragged
back and forth across the country by their owners, but they remain damn good to
drive.

Though 70,000 miles old, the Integra -
widely regarded in its day as the greatest front-drive car - still launches at
its 8,400rpm red line with dizzying intent and, thanks to the total lack of
sound-deadening, dizzying noise. The Accord and last-gen Civic aren't quite so
raucous, but they remain refreshingly pared-back and revvy. And, though
Clarkson might have given it a mild kicking, the current Civic Type R is still
a thing of surprising purity in an era where hot hatches are increasingly
getting bigger of turbo and lower on involvement.